Super Simple Garden Recipes: Roasted Tomato Sauce
Turning on your oven in the August heat probably doesn’t sound super appealing, but this is a great recipe to make when you’re stuck inside on a smoky Central Oregon day in August or September. You’ll thank yourself this winter when you’re enjoying flavorful homemade sauce from your homegrown tomatoes. This is also a favorite in my household because it helps us put so much of our garden’s bounty to good use in just one recipe! Every batch is unique based on the herbs and veggies we include, but always delicious!
Ingredients:
Tomatoes (A colander’s worth or so, approximately 4 lbs)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 diced or sliced onions
1 head of garlic (a few whole cloves and the rest minced)
A few sprigs each of rosemary, thyme, and/or oregano (or 1 tsp each of dried)
A handful of basil and fennel leaves (or 1 tsp each dried basil and fennel seeds).
Salt & pepper
Optional: sliced peppers, fennel bulb, and/or carrots along with a pinch of sugar.
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 400-450 degrees.
Slice tomatoes into halves or quarters depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Peel a few cloves of garlic and place them on the roasting pan/ baking sheet with your tomatoes and sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the tomatoes and drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Roast for 30-60 minutes depending on how tender or charred you’d like your tomatoes. .
5. Heat the remaining oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and cook the onions until they’re lightly browned. If adding a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes, add it now, along with dried herbs (if using).
6. Add peppers and/or carrots if using them. Cook for a few minutes until browned.
7. Add minced garlic and cook for a minute or so before integrating the roasted tomatoes, basil and fennel leaves.
8. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.
9. Serve the sauce chunky or blend until smooth. When enjoying in the summertime, use the sauce to stuff peppers or overgrown summer squash. Consider grilling, roasting or sauteing eggplant and summer squash and adding it to the sauce. If serving in winter time, add frozen grated zucchini and/or chopped blanched greens.
10. Freeze extra sauce in vintage Bonta gelato containers or reusable freezer bags to enjoy in the months to come!
